French-Lebanese singer Yara Lapidus performed a new version of David Bowie’s classic “The Man Who Sold The World” alongside Gail Ann Dorsey
French-Lebanese singer Yara Lapidus Thejust launched a reinterpretation of the classic “The Man Who Sold The World”, by David Bowie. Renamed “Elli”, the track is sung in Arabic and was produced by Gail Ann Dorseybassist who played in the band Bowie for almost 20 years.
The version arose from a desire to Yara to record a song with a message of hope, peace, and remembrance of the history of her homeland, the Middle East: “It all started on the Beirut-London plane, and in the heart of a 14-year-old teenager, leaving my bombed-out city behind and my friends. With a Walkman screwed to his ears and the voice of Bowie on the headphones, I found myself in my new home: Paris. I adapted, Paris adopted me, but Lebanon never stopped highlighting my work”, said the singer.
In December 2022, Yara he knew Gail Ann Dorsey, who was interested in the message of hope she wanted to convey. “It really is a time when we need to use music to bring back some brightness and hope to the world. David I would be very happy with that,” he said. Gailwho produced the track and recorded additional bass and vocals.
The reimagined version of the classic Bowie also gained a new sound thanks to the minimalist arrangements in which Hakim Hamadouche, who wove the melody with the brilliance of his mandoluth, a traditional Algerian instrument. With approval from the estate of Bowiethis is the first time that a song by the late rock icon has been recorded in Arabic.
See this photo on InstagramA post shared by Yara Lapidus (@yara_lapidus)
The singer, who has already recorded partnerships with Iggy Pop It is Chico Cesarcreated the version of the classic by Bowie for your EP Orientee, which will be released on April 26th. In him, Yara focuses on his love for the Middle East, paying homage to the region’s cultural heritage.
On his latest album, Back to Colors (2023), the singer presented an eclectic collection of different sounds and feelings, with songs in French, Arabic and English, including pop rock, bossa nova, traditional Arabic music, and much more.
“Elli” is now available on all platforms and is a release on the ForMusic Records label.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
